Well, folks, you know the drill...
I'm going to post the original copy of my TV Guide Canada review of tonight's episode here for you folks to get the first read of before it's published online tomorrow morning at our site.
I hope you all enjoy this one and I hope I wasn't too rusty after a long hiatus. Lol. This is officially my first review of 2013 and it was a doozy to write as I had much to say about this episode and there was a lot of editing being done to condense it enough. I hope it all worked out in the end!!
I'll post the link to the article at TV Guide Canada tomorrow morning once it's uploaded.
**HERE IT IS**
www.theloop.ca/showbiz/tv-guide/reviews/article/-/a/1086951/-Castle-The-seeds-of-doubtOur site has undergone some changes as it's now part of a larger site called "The Loop" that has all kinds of entertainment news, but you can still get to it from the old
www.tvguide.ca address or use the direct link that I'll post here in this post tomorrow morning.
Also, I'm not sure if your comments will be viewable to the public anymore, but you can still leave them on the site to let TVGC know what you thought of the episode or the show or my review, whatever you want to let them know. We'll see tomorrow if those comments are still visible to the public on the site or if they just go directly to our editors now. But those comments are still important to showing our editors that Castle can still bring in readership and a loyal following as it's a show that is so very much worth reviewing every week! So send your comments in if you have the time to do so, folks, that way we'll ensure that Castle is still at the top of TVGC's list in 2013!!
And now, here's my review of tonight's episode:
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The Seeds of Doubt on “Castle”
By Lisa Caputo
Castle rings in the new year with a shocking twist
Monday marked the return of ABC’s hit series, Castle, with an episode that seemed to have all of the hallmarks of a classic midseason premiere; comedy, relationship drama, and a returning character who would act as a catalyst for moving the story between Castle and Beckett forward. Yet amongst the hilarious scenes and classic banter between television’s most dynamic duo lay something nobody could have seen coming; a bomb of epic proportions that would be dropped in the closing minutes of the episode and would serve to set the stage for this second half of the season.
Penned by talented longtime series writer, Terence Paul Winter, “Significant Others” found Castle stuck between a rock and a hard place when his first ex-wife, Meredith, returned to the fold to take care of a sick Alexis and opted to move into Castle’s loft for a few days. Of course, Castle was already set to play house with Beckett for the week while her apartment was being fumigated, setting the stage for some classic Castle hilarity.
With the case of the hour providing a perfect backdrop for the personal storyline within the episode, there were many great opportunities for Beckett to utter her usual brand of sarcasm, letting it be known that she was none too happy to be cohabitating with Castle’s ex-wife. There was an endless array of witty snipes about ex-wives and amicable divorces, along with a solid dose of banter between Castle and Beckett, yet it was also refreshingly clear that Beckett was more so annoyed at Meredith’s presence than concerned about the past that she shared with Castle. In and of itself, this was a fantastic way of showing that Beckett has come a long way and is now much more secure in her relationship with Castle and her place in his life.
Castle, meanwhile, spent much of the episode attempting to navigate these rather tricky waters between allowing Meredith and Alexis to have their time together while trying to do right by Beckett as well. It was a rather complicated situation and while he made the initial error of not standing his ground right away, it was key to see that he did try to make amends and find other solutions throughout the episode.
Much of the hilarity was also provided by the ensemble cast, with Ryan and Esposito giving Castle with their brotherly advice while Lanie attempted to set Beckett straight as well. Seamus Dever, Jon Huertas, and Tamala Jones were all brilliant in their respective roles throughout this episode as the trio of friends reveled in this golden opportunity to meddle in the relationship they have always had a personal interest in.
Meanwhile, guest star, Darby Stanchfield (currently staring on ABC’s Scandal) reprised her role of Meredith with such stark brilliance. She was witty and scandalous yet also with a great deal more depth to her character than we had previously seen, something that spoke volumes in and of itself as to how impressive the writing on this show has become.
Of course, the heart and soul of this episode, as with any classic Castle episode, was the relationship between Castle and Beckett itself, with both Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion proving why they make such a compelling on-screen couple. Presented with what could have been a massive roadblock for them, they both truly did show, throughout the entire hour, that they have come a long way together and are willing to make the effort to work through any potential issues to keep their relationship moving forward.
The opening scene between them, at least before their unwelcome guest made her entrance, was sweet and sincere, showing how committed they both are to making the other truly happy. The banter between them was hilarious and witty, as always, and despite the situation they found themselves in, they resorted to actually talking things through and finding solutions to their problems rather than pushing them aside.
Likewise, there was an incredibly sweet moment between Castle and Beckett towards the end of the episode, with the two sharing a sincere conversation where Beckett let Castle off the hook for his mistakes. While Beckett had come to understand that Meredith was simply the type that found a way to get her way, she had also come to understand a little more about what Castle may have seen in her to begin with, thus changing her opinion on his past relationship choice. The two agreed to set some boundaries for Meredith in the future and sealed their agreement with a few sweet and sincere kisses.
In the end, the two seemed stronger than ever, having survived this most recent test to their relationship and finding their way together. In the closing minutes, Beckett and Meredith said their goodbyes, with Meredith admitting that her reason for wanting to come to town was actually to check up on Castle’s new love interest. While the two exchanged a warm moment after Meredith gave Beckett her stamp of approval, Beckett asked Meredith for the one thing that I, along with most of the Castle audience, had been waiting a long time for; the truth about why her marriage to Castle had ended.
But while we were waiting for Meredith to spill the beans about how she cheated on Castle and left him and Alexis behind as she moved on with her life, we instead watched with heartbreak as she told her side of the story, letting Beckett know that, just like with Gina, Castle had excluded her from his personal life and his deepest feelings. With that, Beckett was left with a devastating punch in the stomach, wondering if her relationship would suffer the same fate, with Castle unable to tear down the same walls that Beckett had finally taken down in order to let him in to her heart completely.
In classic Castle fashion, the stage was set, in a heart-wrenchingly dramatic way, for what would come throughout the rest of this stunning season. With the seeds of doubt being planted in Beckett’s mind and the mention of Castle’s unknown father being thrown into the mix once again, it certainly seemed as if the Castle team had found an epic way of introducing some new conflicts, challenges, and emotional drama into this second half of the season, giving us much to look forward to in the new year.
